Entrepreneurial Center opens at NCCC

WINSTED —  Northwestern Connecticut Community College’s (NCCC) new Entrepreneurial Center held a grand opening event on Wednesday, March 15.

The center is located in the Goulet Building on the NCCC campus at 56 Park Place. It has been in the works since August 2016.

Various staff and faculty from NCCC, along with town officials from throughout the Northwest Corner, attended the March 15 event.

“The college is a little beacon of light in the Northwest Corner that supports students as they are getting their education,” Laura McCarthy, director of the Academic Success Center, said in an interview before the event. “It is a natural leap for the college to support small business leaders as they are extending their own education in the business world.”

The center’s programs and activities are being led by Jane Williams, workforce development coordinator for NCCC.

“NCCC wants to take an active role in spurring economic growth in the Northwest Corner,” Williams said. “One way to do this is to support individuals who want to create their own startup. These people should ask themselves ‘what do I need to do to start my own business?’ We will have supports here in the center for those people, whether it is a business coach or a coworking space so people will have the availability to create a business plan to get started.”

The center has office spaces, including conferences rooms, for people to use in order to collaborate and consult with others.

The center also offers courses and workshops from various organizations and local area companies. 

“We also want to support our local businesses,” Williams said. “Maybe they need some help with expansions or tax laws. Whatever it is they need help with, we are here to help them figure it out.”

“I think this is primarily to help the community,” NCCC President Michael Rooke said. “An important function for the college is to be a hub of economic development for the community. I think it will bring people to the college, and we’ll provide them with good information and training. We see this as a natural extension of our continuing education mission.”

Rooke said that he believes that the center will help local businesses throughout the Northwest Corner.

“We can be a hub of bringing in resources,” Rooke said. “We want to help people network and share ideas. We hope to play a significant role in that.”

Among the attendees at the event was Mark Ojakian, president of the Connecticut State College and Universities system. 

“I think this is not only going to benefit the college but also the whole region.” Ojakian said. “This is a time to bring together private and public partnerships. I think it will benefit the college by having this space here for entrepreneurs to come in and be creative. It will also benefit the greater region, which is what the college is here to do.”

Another attendee at the event was Mayor Candy Perez.

“I think the center is a valuable resource, especially for the Winsted area,” Perez said. “People will be able to learn about how to start their own businesses here. Because it’s located in Winsted it is a resource that is close by where people from town can come and get all of the help that they need.”

“I think this center is wonderful,” Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce President JoAnn Ryan said. “This will be a great resource for entrepreneurs throughout the region. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the college to be engaged with the small business community. Throughout the Northwest Corner many of our businesses are small with fewer than 10 employees. For people who are starting out who are truly entrepreneurs, this is a wonderful resource for them.”

Ryan said that the center will help the business community in the Northwest Corner grow.

“We have so many small businesses in the area right now who do need the resources and the assistance that this will provide them,” she said. “This will be a win-win for everyone. Also, this is a regional approach to businesses. We are much stronger if we all work together. None of us alone is going to make it in this economy. The state’s budget is in a crisis mode and if we all don’t work together we will not succeed or survive.”

For more information about the Entrepreneurial Center, including its programs and resources, contact Williams at 860-738-6444 or email jwilliams@nwcc.edu.